Cleaning device for a disc

ABSTRACT

A disc ( 1 ) cleaner, the body of which is formed of two or several parts ( 2 ),( 3 ),( 4 ), attached to each other, which can be mutually closed and opened. One part ( 4 ) of the parts comprising a nest assembly ( 7 ) partly receiving disc ( 1 ), and one part ( 2 ) of the parts comprising an attachment assembly of the wiping and washing means ( 5 ), whereby, with said parts closed facing each other, the washing means ( 5 ) nestle against disc ( 1 ) in nest ( 7 ).

The invention relates to a cleaning device for a disc, as a cleaningdevice for CD and DVD discs, by means of which device a disc can bequickly cleaned.

Previously known as record cleaners are, among other things, a cleaningfelt or similar ones, which can be pressed against the surface of arotating record. The felts are moistened with detergent suitable forrecord cleaning. A cleaning process of such kind is not suited for CD orDVD discs, since they cannot in the driving stations designed for thembe rotated so that the disc surface would be visible. That's why forcleaning of discs a rotating station should be built, where the discwould be visible on rotation.

A separate cleaning station to rotate the disc is complicated to buildfor simple wiping or washing, the need of which is quite small. However,there will be fingerprints and stains left on the discs, which may haveeffect on disc behaviour.

For easy cleaning of these discs a new kind of cleaner/washer has beendeveloped that needs no turning gear, since the disc can be rotated fromits outer edge by hand without leaving any fingerprints on the discsurface. The body of the cleaner as per this invention is most suitablycomprised of two or three parts attached to each other and the cleaneris characterized in that the parts can be mutually closed and openedfacing each other and that one of them has a nest assembly partlyreceiving the disc and another part has an attachment assembly for thewiping/washing means, whereby, with these parts being closed facing eachother, the wiper/washing cleaner is pressed against the disc in thenest.

The advantage of the invention is the easy-of-use and rapidity of thecleaner. The fluid detergent is kept in a separate bottle, from which itcan be refilled in portions into the washing means. The cleaner is easyto produce, for instance of plastic, whereby both body parts or allparts of the cleaner are by means of a plastic hinge fastened to eachother. The cleaner is easy to use, since when the cleaner is closed itis held by one hand, while the disc is rotated and pressed against thedisc from its edge by the other hand without touching the disc surface.

Wetting the wiping sponge is easy and in one embodiment the spongefunction can be made more effective simply by squeezing the sponge bymeans of a flexible cover. Because the sponge and the felt on it aretogether normally of a size already slightly bigger than the spacereserved for the m in the cleaner, the sponge gets controllably pressedby proper force against the disc, when the cleaner is closed duringwashing. The disc is not rotated during the washing motion but rotationis necessary only for getting the disc against the next sector. Thewashing motion is a pressing motion in the direction of the disc radius,whereby the motion of the sponge with respect to the disc is parallelwith the radius.

In the following the invention is disclosed with reference to thedrawing, where

FIG. 1 shows a disc placed in the cleaner viewed from the front.

FIG. 2 shows a disc placed in the cleaner viewed from the opposite side.

FIG. 3 shows a disc placed in the cleaner viewed from the end.

FIG. 4 shows the cleaner open, viewed diagonally from the sponge anddisc nest side.

FIG. 5 shows the cleaner open, viewed from the side of accessories.

FIG. 1 shows a cleaner most suitably cast of plastic, the body of whichcomprises a first side part 2 and a disc 1 and on the opposite side asecond side part 2. Further, between these side parts there is a centralpart 4. All these three parts 2,3,4 are combined by a hinged joint 10arranged in the lower edge of the cleaner so that the first part 2 andthe second part 3 can both be turned open, while centre part 4 remainsin place. So that parts 2 and 3 would remain face to face with thecentre part pressed against each other, there is between parts 2 and 4and 3 and 4 a locking system, which is most suitably a usually utilizedtension of a small part in one piece to give necessary hold behind theother piece.

In the solution of FIGS. 1,2,3 the centre part 4 has a disc nest 7, intowhich disc 1 fits only by halves. For rotating the disc by hand it isadvantageous that less than the half of the disc circle is in nest 7. Aproper portion is maybe about 35-45%. Turning the disc takes placerotating it from its outer edge by hand.

FIG. 4 shows the cleaner open, whereby first part 2 includeswashing/wiping means 5 placed in a groove designed for them. The washingmeans are for instance a sponge, the upper surface of which facing thedisc is a felt or similar soft material. Further, a spring device 6 isfitted to and turning with part 2 that in the cleaner operating stateworks as a flexible stopper of disc 1, when disc 1 is pushed into nest7. The spring has an arched portion towards the disc. The disc edgemeets the arched portion and still pushing the disc into the nest thespring devise 6 retreats and, further, the spring devise returns thedisc a little. Thanks to spring device 6 it is possible to carry outpumping motion in order to improve the washing result. By the pumpingmotion the sponge moves in the direction of the radius with respect tothe disc, and that is the optimal direction of motion.

The wiping/washing means 5 are, for instance, a liquid-absorbing spongedimensioned a little bigger than its mounting hole/cylinder. The spongecontacting surface against the disc is of soft material, as felt,fleece, non-woven fabric or similar. The washing means can also be, forinstance, a rectangular wiper. The sponge can also be a permanentsponge, whereby in its inside a smallish detergent store has beenarranged, from which more detergent is freed by pressing. The detergentto be used is a quite dilute agent suitable for removal of fat.

For washing the disc is placed in nest 7, the bottom of which is coveredwith smooth fleece fabric or similar, on the disc surface, which is tobe cleansed, detergent is sprayed most advantageously over the wholearea, which does not in any way damage the disc, as for instance,spreading of detergent by wiping. The cleaner is closed, whereby thesponge an felt combination presses the disc by proper force. Due to thecleaner construction the pressing force of sponge cannot get too strong.Then in the nest the disc is rotated sector by sector and by each sectorwashing motion, i.e. pumping, is carried out with the disc againstspring device 6. In this way of washing the disc gets clean and is alsodry when taken out from the nest.

One possibility is also that the detergent comes to the disc through thesponge and felt, whereby they are handled with detergent or detergent isbubbling from them on the disc. In this way the detergent hardly hastime to have any effect on the stains in the disc and the disc is alsostill wet when taken out from the cleaner.

The cover part of part 2, corresponding to mounting nest 4 of thewiping/washing means 5, can be made thin and flexible, so that onpressing the cover part yields and squeezes sponge 5 and also returns byitself. Then feed of detergent to the disc can be intensified, ifdetergent comes through the sponge.

The cleaner can also include as extra embodiment, FIG. 5, that thecleaner is divided into three parts 2,3,4. Then part 3 is also aseparate cover that can be opened, which when opened, allows access tothe accessory space. The accessory space is partly on the inside of bothparts 4 and 3. In FIG. 5 a detergent container 8 and a pack of towels 9are shown placed in the accessory space. With this solution the cleanerbecomes versatile, since with its washing means it is possible to clean,for instance, the spectacles and the monitor pane.

The shape of the cleaner is freely variable. The cleaner can also be atwo-sided disc cleaner, whereby both disc sides get clean at the sametime, if necessary. Of course, many variations of the invention arepossible, and thus the invention is not restricted only to the abovepresented embodiments.

1. A disc (1) cleaner, the body of which is formed of two or severalparts (2),(3),(4), attached to each other, which can be mutually closedand opened facing each other and one part (4) of the parts comprising anest assembly (7) partly receiving disc (1), and one part (2) of theparts comprising an attachment assembly of the wiping and washing means(5), whereby, with said parts closed facing each other, the washingmeans (5) nestle against disc (1) in nest (7), characterized in thatnest (7) has a spring device (6) returning partly disc (1) pushed intothe nest, when by means of disc (1) pumping motion is carried outtowards the nest, when cleaning takes place.
 2. A cleaner according toclaim 1, characterized in that the cleaner comprises a part (3), whichcan be opened and closed and forms with another part (4) an accessoryspace for washing means (8);(9).
 3. A cleaner according to claim 1,characterized in that disc (1) can be rotated in nest (7).
 4. A cleaneraccording to claim 1, characterized in that washing means (5) form aflexible, the disc not-damaging contact piece, as a sponge, the contactsurface of which is a felt.
 5. A cleaner according to claim 1,characterized in that clip nest (7) is dimensioned so that it coversless than half of the disc outer edge.
 6. A cleaner according to claim1, characterized in that washing means (5) in the attachment assemblycan be squeezed by means of the flexible cover of body (2).